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c
o v e r s t o r y
Transgendered
Butches and FTM's: a uniquely Femme Perspective
by
Sonya Bolus f e a t u r
e s
Transgendered
Lesbian
by
Arlene Istar Lev
Passing
as the Pope - the Story of Joan English
by
Alison Phipps
c o l u m n
s
Health
by
Dr. Lipstick
Wealth
by
Ms. Moneygrrl
Sex
by
SexySuzi
Advice
by
Victoria
Femme
Perspective
by
DeAnna
Butch
Perspective
by
E.T. Turner Publisher's
Note
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to Femme
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Transgendered
Lesbian
by Arlene Istar Lev
(Continued,
page 3)
In
the lesbian feminist world that I grew up in (and I did literally
"grow up" there), liking masculinity was almost an insult to the
sisterhood we were building. No where was this more apparent that
the way that the feminist movement all but silenced the voices
of butch/femme couples from the decades before. Instead of being
viewed as powerful role models who had lived as visible homosexuals
in a world where that concept didn't yet exist, they were seen
as merely a parody of heterosexuality. In women's studies classes
we examined the history of butch lives by explaining that they
dressed and lived as men because they had few choices in a sexist,
patriarchal culture. In order to live independent lives as lesbians,
we said these butches had to pass as men. Certainly there were
lesbians who passed as men for safety or economic security, and
for the ease it would afford a lesbian couple to live as an apparent
heterosexual couple. However, I suspect there were also transgendered
and transsexual females who lived as men, who have been claimed
by lesbian-feminist history, but perhaps would not have perceived
themselves as lesbian. I do not think, in all honesty, it occurred
to feminists of the 70's and 80's that perhaps in any culture
these butches would not see themselves as women, or lesbians,
and perhaps they were not "passing" as men, but regardless of
the social or political milieu, saw themselves as men.
The
feminist community has always expressed a discomfort with the
butch and passing women of the last generations. It is only in
the last decade or so, -- due, of course, to the powerful work
of Madeline Davis, Elizabeth Kennedy, Joan Nestle, Jewelle Gomaz,
Lee Lynch, Chrystos, Leslea Newmann, Leslie Feinberg, Minnie Bruce
Pratt and Amber Hollibaugh -- that we are beginning to reclaim
some of the images of butch and femme women. I think feminists
need to examine this discomfort that butch, and particularly stone
butch presence was evoking: Were these butches indeed women?
Indeed,
were the women I've been in bed with these last 30 years, were
they really "women?" Somewhere betwixt and between being lesbians
and being transsexuals, I am beginning to suspect that I have
been lovers with many "inverts," a kind of transgendered lesbian
-- women who are not women, but are not men either.
Gender
as a queer transgressive act
On
a social or political level, lesbian and gay people are often
uncomfortable admitting that gender inversion is definitely one
aspect of our gay community. Crossdressing behavior has always
been a cultural icon of the gay community and one of the ways
that we recognize each other: dykes by our short hair, short nails,
comfortable shoes and lack of make up, gay men by a feminine swagger,
bright clothing or the lilt of the voice. When gay men and lesbians
do this in an extreme way we call it drag or butch, and we use
our "gaydar" to pick each other out of a crowd. We often deride
"straight-looking" gay people as not being really gay, or being
afraid to come out. Although we all know that (of course) there
are gays and lesbians who do not look queer, we still tend to
assume that all feminine males and masculine females are gay.
We joke among ourselves about the very feminine male who denies
being gay -- we insist that he just hasn't come out yet, laughing
off the possibility that he is simple not gay.
continued
on page 4
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